They’re heroes. All of them.
From across the state of North Carolina, they gathered in the capital city. Fighting crowds and full parking decks, between a St. Patrick’s Day parade, a street festival with an Irish band, a pub crawl, and educators arriving for the North Carolina Reading Association conference, the children made it to the Young Authors Project celebration.
These young people, from kindergarten through twelfth grade, and some of their teachers, were previously recognized by their local reading associations for writing on the theme “Show Your Strength.” Finalists went on to be judged by a panel for the state, and yesterday the North Carolina Reading Association awarded winners a book of their published entries and a medal.
Prior to the ceremony, such figures as Batman, Wonder Woman, and the X-Men swept through the audience, greeting the children, congratulating them, posing for pictures with them.
Project Superhero, Inc. and Causeplay Carolinas team up at the NCRA Young Authors Project celebration. Photo: Twitter, @superheroorg 03/17/2018.
Note the word POWER on the photo-op backdrop . . .
I thought immediately of the power in writing.
I watched as the children were called, county by county, to receive their awards on stage, their faces glowing. I’ve read their stories, how they showed their strength by sticking with tasks they thought they couldn’t accomplish, reaching desired goals, drawing inspiration from others, overcoming bullies, conquering their greatest fears, coping with illness, the loss of pets, of family members. How they got through, even when they didn’t think they could.
It takes courage to be a writer, courage to be a child.
There they stood, heroes, all.
Celebrating each other, celebrating their stories.
Celebrating perseverance. Celebrating courage. Celebrating hope.
Celebrating life.
lit bits and pieces 
I love how you connected writing to superheroes! There really is a kind of superhuman power in people’s stories!
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I love that thought in the image. Your average hero.
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Writing does take courage. Words written live on the page, whereas words spoken float away. What a wonderful celebration of students and their voice. This was a day they will long remember. They know their words matter.
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Yes, the power in writing and the celebration of writing…awesome! What a fantastic event to witness! I always think about ways adults can help to create “literacy memories,” positive memories that kids can grow up with that are associated with reading and/or writing. This is definitely an excellent example for these kids! Love the way you begin the piece… “They’re heroes. All of them.” Thanks for sharing this!
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Thank you, Lanny. The guest speaker, an NC author of children’s books, says that she doesn’t have any of her childhood writing and she told these young writers to SAVE what they write, maybe find a special place to keep it, because one day they’ll want it. So true; something we teachers all need to encourage!
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It is an act of courage to put your writing out there for all to see, especially for children. And now their words are in print, in binding, making them even more “real”. Is it possible to get a copy of the book for our school library?
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I’d be happy to get one & mail it to you, Chris! Want to DM the address on Twitter, @fahaley ?
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Oh, my, yes please! Will do so now! Can’t wait to share it with my students, especially my fourth graders. They will be entering their Writing Camp over the next few weeks.
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I’m on it! So excited for your fourth graders and their Writing Camp! 😊
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I love that the award for their accomplishment is a published book of their work!
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Thanks for sharing, Fran. In reading, i thought of the teachers of these children who must have been the models.
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“It takes courage to be a writer, courage to be a child.” Yes! Thanks for inviting us to this celebration. I bet it was wonderful to witness. Writing is power, indeed!
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It takes so much courage to be a writer! You’re putting part of yourself out there for others to read. To know intimate things about you. And when you write an original poem? That’s even more nerve-wracking. But when you build a warm and receptive community in the classroom it’s not as scary. And the way they light up when their peers applaud them it’s magic.
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Fran, your connection of the power of children to the power of writing is one I never thought about in this way before. Your insight about the bravery it takes to be both a child and writer is new reflection for me. Thank you for your lovely slice! As you so appropriately put, “(Kids) are heroes. All of them.”
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